LIGHT AND VISION: AN ADVENT REFLECTION ON ST. LUCY’S FEAST DAY
I recently suffered from a nasty eye infection. I couldn’t see properly and suffered from acute photo sensitivity. This experience led me to a deeper appreciation of healthy vision. St Lucy, patron saint of eyesight, became a welcome prayer companion.
Her name, Lucy, comes from the Latin word, “lux”, referring to the light she brought to the persecuted Christians trapped in the catacombs in third century Rome. She is said to have worn a wreath adorned with candles to light her way in the darkness. What a beautiful image for Advent on her feast day (December 13)! St. Lucy’s courage led to her martyrdom. She is often portrayed with a martyr’s palm and a pair of eyes on a tray or in her hands as in the portrait by Francesco del Cossa. She is said to have resisted a suitor who turned her in to the authorities. During her torture, her eyes were gouged out, but later miraculously restored. That’s why she became the patron saint of the blind and those with eye ailments.
She bears the Christ-light into the darkness of long winter nights as well as our own spiritual gloom. She is the saint of vision, and we so badly need clear spiritual vision today, a vision that helps us see through the haze of distraction, deception and egoism.
Advent is a time for checking our spiritual vision. Are we dazzled by the glare of the spectacular or can we still glimpse moments of grace in simple, everyday moments? Are we blind to the needs of the hurting and despised? Do our eyes focus on the image in the mirror or on the wounds of Christ shown in the pains of our neighbour?
There’s a lovely painting of the Adoration of the Shepherds in Santa Trinita in Florence by Domenico Ghirlandaio. It shows a nativity scene where the Holy Family is visited by shepherds and coming down the road, the magi lead a crowd coming from Jerusalem, including Herod’s henchmen. But look at the adoring gaze of Mary looking at the newborn Christ lying on her robe. Contrast that with the gaze of Joseph looking towards the trouble coming down the road. Taking Mary and Joseph’s gazes together, they model spiritual bifocals. Our Christian gaze takes in the Christ-child as well as the troubled world in which we live. It presages Christ’s command to love God and to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Furthermore, St. Lucy challenges us to be light bearers. Do we become living Advent wreaths of hope, peace, joy and love to our homes and communities? May we be blessed this Advent with gifts of vision and light.
St. Lucy, pray for us!
Les Miller is a husband, dad, grandfather and catechist. He has served the Catholic education community for 40 years as teacher, chaplaincy team leader, Department Head. AQ Instructor, textbook writer, and Religious Education and Family Life Consultant. Les authored the 25 Questions Series, Words for the Journey and award-winners Catholic Teacher’s Companion and Northern Light. Currently, he is an instructor and advisor with the Archdiocese of Toronto’s online Catechist formation program and lead contributor to the St. Monica Institute’s series on praying with art, Abide in Beauty.
